How to calculate KWh and why is it so important?

If you are responsible for optimizing business processes, optimizing costs and capex/opex investments, know that energy consumption is one of the fronts that should be analyzed to reduce costs. Knowing how to calculate kilowatt/hour is one of the most common doubts that prevent finding opportunities in this operation.

Knowing the average energy consumption of each appliance, for example, is a way to improve the energy expenditure of your company. With this information, it is possible to make adjustments in the production process, combining productivity, quality, agility, and low costs.

In this article, you will learn how to calculate kilowatt/hour, as well as get to know some equipment that consumes the most energy and know solutions to reduce your electricity expenses. Have a good reading!

What is the purpose of calculating kilowatt/hour?

Calculating kilowatt/hour is used so that you know how much energy your machinery is consuming. This is also an interesting tool to identify if any equipment is faulty.

Usually, when your energy consumption is different from what is presented by the manufacturer, it is a sign that the machine is not operating correctly. In addition, it is through mapping the energy consumption of your park that it is possible to identify opportunities to reduce operational costs.

It is not only a matter of maintenance that will correct unnecessary costs. With this mapping, you can review your process and create a flow that is efficient in all senses and that is lean.

Kilowatt/hour, how to calculate this metric?

To find the value and calculate the kilowatt/hour of your appliances and equipment, you need to use a mathematical formula. Basically, you need to multiply the power of the appliance by its usage time.

This value is found on the equipment’s energy efficiency label, which also signals which consumption group it belongs to.

How about an example? Suppose you want to check how much a household equipment consumes energy – in our case, it will be an iron. Its power is 2000W.

To find the kilowatt/hour, you need to divide it by 1000, and multiply the result by the time, which will be 12 hours. So we have (2000/1000) * 12 = 24 kWh.

How to convert the kWh value into money?

Now, if you want to know how much you are paying for the usage time of each equipment, you must, after finding the kilowatt/hour, multiply this value by the tariff practiced by the energy concessionaire in your region. Suppose its value is US$0.64452.

Still following the example of the iron, we would have a cost of 24 * 0.64452 = US$15.46/month, just with this equipment. Thinking about the cost monitoring issue, map each equipment used in your operation.

Record the calculation of the average consumption forecast of each machine versus what was actually consumed. Use a wattmeter to identify which equipment has altered consumption.

What are the electrical appliances that consume the most energy?

Whether at home or at work, do you know which electrical appliances and equipment consume the most energy? Knowing a little about them will help you identify solutions to optimize your business’s energy efficiency. Continue reading and learn more!

At Home

Today, many people are working from home, and the trend is that energy bills will increase slightly. After all, you are spending more time at home and will use your electrical appliances more. To avoid energy consumption being a negative point in your remote work, put into practice the calculation of kilowatt/hour.

Any equipment that is used irresponsibly will bring greater costs to your electricity bill. Shower, air conditioning, and refrigerator are the main villains of the energy expense.

A shower has 5500W of power. With 30-minute showers, for example, and considering the tariff presented earlier, you consume R$82.50 per month. Regarding the air conditioning, always try to turn it on only when it is really necessary.

In addition, make sure that maintenance is up to date and that it has been installed correctly. The refrigerator itself already consumes a lot of energy. Avoid opening the door frequently, as this action increases energy consumption.

In Industry

When calculating the kilowatt hour in industry, the equipment used is high voltage. This means that its power is greater, consuming more energy compared to household appliances. In addition, the tariff charged by the energy company is different: the price of the kilowatt/hour is higher.

The most common equipment in the industry are boilers, electric scales with conveyors, ovens, and water pumps. All consume a lot of energy, and the secret to avoiding unnecessary costs is predictive maintenance. Combining mapping with this good practice, your industry will certainly be able to optimize energy efficiency.

Are there other best practices for reducing consumption?

In addition to the tips we have already given you to reduce your energy consumption expenses, there are still other best practices that can be implemented both at home and in your company. Read our suggestions carefully because they are strategic actions that bring measurable results in a short time.

Invest in bright environments

A simple tip, but one that is often ignored, is the use of resources that make the environment brighter. It is important to use furniture in light tones, such as white, and to rely on natural lighting in the room. For this, it is important to have large windows and placed in strategic locations that allow for greater incidence of sunlight throughout the day.

Adopt distributed energy generation

Have you heard about the distributed energy generation market? In this model, your company produces energy and distributes it to the energy company’s network, generating a discount on your consumption bill.

This can be done through renewable sources, and the most used is photovoltaic or solar energy. The most interesting thing is that you can have a generator, which will store energy and can be activated in case of a power outage.

Create a lighting project

An intelligent way to leverage the results of the actions described above is to invest in a lighting project. With it, you can optimize the energy use of the location by implementing innovative solutions that will reduce the number of electrical lighting points while enhancing brightness, such as the use of LEDs.

Especially in industries and logistics warehouses, lighting with outdated technology is one of the biggest consumers of electricity and causes the most maintenance costs. An appropriate LED lighting project in the industry helps not only to save energy up to 80%, but also to reduce costs with maintenance, replacement, and disposal of old lamps. Another point of attention in these cases is to follow the lighting standard in work environments.

Now that we have clarified your doubt about how to calculate the kilowatt/hour, and you know the importance of calculating the kilowatt/hour in industry, know that with the actions presented, besides reducing costs, you will put sustainable attitudes into practice. From the market’s point of view, this conduct adds value to your brand.

In fact, if your company does not have one yet, you can start producing a sustainability report. This way, your organization attracts customers and investors.

SX Lighting, a national manufacturer, has a wide range of high-power and energy-efficient LED luminaires and reflectors, as well as maximum quality. Our LED lighting experts can help reduce energy costs by implementing a payback LED lighting project.

Now that you are convinced that SX Lighting will provide you with the best lighting and energy efficiency, click here and request service from our experts.